Easy Vegan Lemon Muffins

These easy vegan lemon muffins are the perfect afternoon snack; they have the perfect balance of lemon flavor and are not overpowering.

I love a good one-bowl recipe, and these vegan lemon muffins recipe doesn't disappoint.

Anything you can whip up with less of a mess is fine by me!

We love simple muffins around here, and so do my kid's friends. If you're looking for some more delicious muffin recipes, check out some of my favorites; Vegan Chocolate Muffins for the chocolate lover in your life, or these Vegan Cornbread Muffins if you're looking for something more savory.

I like to test blog recipes on their friends because my kids can't always be trusted. Let's just say these passed the test!

What do I love about this vegan lemon muffin recipe?

I love that they don't use any lemon extract.

There is, for sure, a time and place for lemon extract, but a little can go a long way.

The first time I made them, I used extract, and it was just too much lemon flavor, not in a good way.

This uses fresh lemon and lemon zest to get a perfect lemon flavor.

I also tried to keep these muffins lower in fat content but still high a flavor profile.

The use of vegan yogurt helps you cut down on the fat to only ¼ cup in the whole recipe.

Vegan Lemon Muffins Recipe Q&A

Can I make these vegan muffins gluten-free?

Yes, use all-purpose gluten-free flour in a 1:1 ratio.

Can I still make these if I don't have any vegan yogurt?

The yogurt helps keep the fat low in this recipe. 

I've never tried it without the yogurt, but I would use vegan butter, softened, not melted, instead of vegan yogurt.

Can I use coconut oil instead of vegetable oil?

Yes, just melt the coconut oil first and let it cool a bit. You will likely have a bit of a coconut taste.

I wouldn't use olive oil; I think it's a bit too strong.

How do you zest a lemon?

• Wash the lemon well and dry it
• Take a box cheese grader and use the smallest size or a citrus zester if you have one
• Try only to get the yellow part and not the white fleshy stuff below it.
• Don't zest too early, or else the peel tends to get a bit dried out.
• Use in the recipe as needed.

What do you need for these delicious dairy-free muffins?

Check out the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full recipe.

• all purpose flour
• baking soda
• baking powder
• vegan milk *to make buttermilk with the vinegar
• white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• vegan milk (almond milk, soy milk, oat milk, rice milk, whichever you like)
• fresh lemon juice
• vegan plain yogurt
• Canola or vegetable oil *or your favorite mild oil. or vegan butter melted
• vanilla extract
• lemon zest
• sugar

How do you make these vegan muffins?

Start by preheating your oven to 375 degrees, line a muffin tin with muffin liners, and set aside.

Make your vegan buttermilk by taking a liquid measuring cup and combining the ½ cup vegan milk with the 1 TB vinegar; stir and set aside.

Take a large bowl and combine the dry ingredients; stir. And then, add the wet ingredients and stir until combined.

This is a thick batter.

Take a large cookie scoop or ice cream scoop and scoop the muffin batter evenly until the prepared muffin pan.

Make your topping in a small bowl, and combine ingredients with a fork until it's crumbly.

Crumble the topping onto the muffins before baking.

Bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean, don't overbake.

Let cool on a cooling rack or wire rack, and enjoy.

These are best the same day but still good the next day.

How do you serve these vegan lemon muffins?

These are best served at room temperature as is.

Or, if you want to add more flavor, you can make a simple lemon glaze to drizzle over the cooled muffins, but I don't think it needs it.

How do you store vegan muffins?

Let them come to room temperature before storing them in an airtight container on the counter for up to 4 days.

Can you freeze vegan muffins?

Place them either in the muffin tin or on a cookie sheet in the freezer and let them freeze for about 1-2 hours. 

Then place them stacked in a freezer bag for up to 4 months.

Let defrost on the counter before eating them.

Are you looking for more delicious vegan muffin recipes?

• Vegan Blueberry Muffins
• Banana Crumb Muffins
• Vegan Oatmeal Muffins
• Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

If you loved this recipe, then give it a 5 star rating and leave a comment! I love to chat with you all. Please feel free to share on social media and tag #courtneyshomestead. I would love to see you over on Instagram or Facebook.